Development and Finite Element Analysis of a Cantilever Beam Apparatus used in Strength of Materials Laboratory

Abstract

The development of a cantilever beam apparatus for the teaching of undergraduates students in Strength of Materials laboratory is successfully presented. This development of the laboratory apparatus is targeted at building a local content in the production of equipment. It tends to eliminate the dependence on foreign technology which appears to be challenging in the face of scarce foreign exchange. The laboratory apparatus was designed using engineering formulae to determine the maximum bending moment, maximum shear stress, factor of safety and the Von Misses stress of the beam to be749.95Nm, 11.26Mpa, 2.36 and 112.28Mpa respectively. The apparatus was designed to have a strength to weight ratio of 5.3Mpa/N. A graphical modeling was carried out using AutoCAD and Finite Element ANSYS Workbench which yielded an equivalent Von Misses stress of the apparatus to be 115Mpa.

Keywords: Cantilever beam, apparatus,Von Misses stress, finite element and materials

DOI: 10.7176/JIEA/13-1-01

Publication date: February 28^th 2023